Melted
by Forever the Optimist
Summary: Called to a foreign land to help Princess Aditi with her newly developed fire powers, Queen Elsa finds herself forming a bond that goes beyond simple friendship. In a world of arranged marriages and talking flames, Elsa and Aditi must work together to stay together against all odds. This continues underlying themes of dealing with depression and queerness first seen in "Frozen."
1. Chapter 1

"Thank you, your Majesty. Most appreciated, your Majesty." The man backed down the carpeted aisle, bowing repeatedly. Then, with a hint of a wink: "Stay warm, your Majesty."

Elsa smiled tolerantly, stifling her sigh. The number of times she'd heard that joke… In some ways, she reflected, being an unreachable, unknowable queen had been easier.

To her left, Anna giggled. "Get it? Stay warm? Because you… you…" She cleared her throat, as if realizing where she was, and folded her hands primly in her lap. Again, Elsa clamped down on a sigh.

It wasn't often that Anna sat in on Arendelle's royal open audiences, but she always seemed to get an unhealthy amount of joy out of it. The huge domed throne room, the elegant carpets, the lines of people delighted just to catch a glimpse of their queen and princess… all of it was everything a ruler could want.

Since the… incidents of a few months prior, Elsa had been making a concerted effort to seem open and accessible - to present a positive and competent image on the Arendelle throne. Open court appeals, parades, ice skating on the weekends, all to show her powers, legal and magical, as safe and good. Something Elsa wasn't entirely convinced of herself.

As the next appeal was brought in, Elsa glanced down at her fingers resting on the carved arm of her throne. Tiny snowflakes danced between her fingers, and she hid a smile before closing her hands, extinguishing her icy sparks.

"Ambassador Reyansh of Murisang!"

Elsa looked up, interest piqued. Despite her efforts, it wasn't often that foreign diplomats willingly came to Arendelle. And Murisang was a country she'd only read about. Warm, far-off, and foreign…

"Welcome, Ambassador," she said smoothly, inclining her head as he bowed. "How can we assist you?" _Too much? Maybe. Ah well._

"Your Majesty. Emperor Ishranth and Empress Garima send their greetings."

"Acknowledged and returned." Elsa studied the man before her. He was tall and undeniably handsome, with a charming smile and a trim goatee. He wore large pants and a long red robe embroidered with gold thread in curling patterns similar to pictures Elsa had seen in books.

"Many thanks, your Majesty. As for our business…" He glanced around, his smile never slipping. "Perhaps a private audience?"

Anna glanced over, visibly bouncing in her seat. Elsa sighed again, glancing down at her hand again. To her dismay, there was a slight sheen of frost on the carved wood. She rubbed it away hurriedly. "Yes, of course. This way, Ambassador." She stood gracefully and stepped down from the raised dais, her train trailing behind her. Regal, beautiful, with just a hint of ice. _Perfect._ "You too, Anna."

"Ooh!" Anna bounced to her feet, beaming, and followed, skipping a bit. She waved slightly at the ambassador, offering a shy smile. "Exciting!"

* * *

The conference room was small and unexceptional, used for informal audiences. One long table in the center and the chairs around it made up the only furniture - austere and practical, it was the conference room her father had used. Elsa seated herself at the head of the table, gesturing Anna to the right and Ambassador Reyansh to her left. The two guards that followed them in stepped to either side of the door, closing it gently behind them.

"Alright, mister," Anna said, leaning forward. "What do you want? Foreign trade deal? You're starting a war and you want our help? Ooh, I know! Your prince is asking for Elsa's hand in marriage!"

"Anna…" Elsa said warningly, flashing an apologetic look to the ambassador. To his credit, he only smiled.

"Apologies, Princess, but my business is somewhat more personal." He shifted slightly, flashing another dazzling smile at Anna, who blushed. Elsa sensed they were getting to the meat of the matter. "Our own Princess Aditi has developed… powers. Magical powers, similar to yours," he added to Elsa. "We're not sure what to do."

Elsa blinked, almost unable to process what she was hearing. Someone else with magic? "Ice powers?"

"Fire," he corrected. "Murisang is a desert country, your Majesty. Few enough of us have seen snow in our lifetimes."

"Fire powers?!" Elsa had never seen her sister's eyes so wide. "Like, shooting flames from her hands? That's amazing!"

"Amazing, yes," Reyansh conceded, "but terrifying when uncontrolled." His tone hinted at a larger story.

"Oh, we know about that, right, Elsa?" She said it innocently enough, glancing over at Elsa with a bright smile.

Elsa closed her eyes briefly, taking half a second to force the unwanted flood of memories back into their locked box in her mind, and then another second to melt the icicles that had shot from her fingertips under the table. _Conceal, don't feel. At least, not now._ "Uncontrolled how?"

"Dangerously." The ambassador smiled again, although there was little humor in his eyes. "Word of your story, Queen Elsa, has reached our humble lands, and it is to you we come for help."

"Help with…"

Reyansh shrugged. "Either healing her or subduing her. Preferably helping her, of course," he added as Anna opened her mouth to protest. "Your Majesty, may I be frank with you?"

"Please." Elsa inclined her head slightly, still trying to process. Someone else with magic… For the first time, she felt a glimmer of hope: maybe this Princess Aditi could finally understand her.

"Princess Aditi is a danger to everyone around her. Her parents, her family, her betrothed - none of them can get close to her. No one can even touch her."

"So this is recent, then," Elsa said, not really asking. The ambassador nodded.

"A few weeks ago was the first time anyone saw anything." He shrugged, looking almost helpless. "Perhaps I am saying too much, but Murisang is not the most stable country at this time. Princess Aditi's marriage will unite two powerful trade routes and save her family economically. Our nation needs this," he said earnestly, leaning forward slightly. "We need our princess back. Will you help us?"

"Well, that's easy enough," Anna said into the sudden silence. Elsa and Reyansh both turned to look at her in mild disbelief.

"I beg your pardon?" the ambassador said politely.

Anna shifted slightly in her seat, uncomfortable under the sudden scrutiny. "It's love, isn't it? I mean, that's what helped Elsa last year. She just has to show some love, and it'll fix it all."

"Maybe…" Elsa thought about it for a moment, ignoring Reyansh's incredulity. "But that melted the ice. It warmed it up. Would it cool down flames?"

"I dunno. I mean, it worked before." Anna shrugged. "Worth a shot, though, right? Do you have a better idea?"

Elsa shook her head slowly, thinking it over. On one hand, Anna was right - that was all the answer they had. But Elsa knew firsthand how scared, confused, and isolated the other princess must be feeling. If it were her… what would she have wanted?

"Let me go," she said. "I will return with you to Murisang. Let me speak to her - perhaps I can help. Anna, you're in charge."

"What? Wait- But, Elsa, you can't just-"

"It'll be good for you to try your hand at ruling for a change." Elsa stood up, gesturing to the guards. "Get a carriage ready and bring up whatever papers I need to sign. I'm naming Anna temporary regent." She smiled. This could be exactly what she needed.

"Thank you, your Majesty." Ambassador Reyansh rose and bowed low, the gratitude evident on his face. "Murisang will be honored by your visit."

Anna stood up too, knocking her chair over in her haste. "Are you crazy? You're just gonna leave? For how long?"

"Not very, I'm sure."

"And you're leaving right now? Why? Do you have to? You were fine for years!" Anna protested.

"Ice preserves, fire destroys." She glanced at the ambassador. "Something tells me there's no time to lose."

"But I can't be queen! What if-"

Elsa took her sister's hands impulsively, pulling her closer. "Don't you see, Anna? Somebody over there needs me. Needs _me_ for something more important than ice skating or sitting on a throne."

Anna looked at her a moment, a little puzzled, a little scared, then threw her arms around her sister. Elsa returned the hug, holding her tight. "You'll be fine, Anna. Actually, you'll be amazing." She pulled away, touched Anna's cheek gently. "I know it."

"If you say so."

"I do," Elsa said firmly. "Ambassador, it would be an honor to meet your princess. We leave tomorrow morning."


	2. Chapter 2

As the miles rolled underneath her carriage wheels, Elsa had plenty of time to think. She tried to cast her mind out, to imagine what was awaiting her at the end of the road. She'd never been outside Arendelle, and really had no idea what was to come. Although she was traveling with a sizable retinue, as well as the ambassador of Murisang, she had elected to ride alone.

 _Another magic user…_ Despite the days of travel, Elsa still wasn't sure how to feel. On one hand, this Princess Aditi could be a friend and ally, an unparalleled confidante. On the other… Elsa remembered all too well the damage she had done to her own country, and to people she loved, when she had lost control herself. Fire could only be worse. Not to mention, the potential political ramifications of a foreign princess with fire powers were beyond what she was comfortable with. If things went poorly… a magical war was the last thing she wanted.

The dull thud of horse steps on the dusty road shook her from her thoughts. Elsa pasted on a formal smile as Ambassador Reyansh rode up. "Your Majesty, we'll be arriving within the hour."

"Thank you, Reyansh." Elsa looked at him a moment. "You're excited to be home, aren't you?"

"Very much, your Majesty. It's a beautiful country, with wonderful people and a sun like nothing you've ever known." He smiled faintly, reminiscing. Elsa studied him for a moment, then nodded.

"I look forward to exploring a little of it. Let me know when we've arrived." She leaned back into the plush cushioned seats, conjuring up a small snow flurry to blow cold air across her cheeks. Even inside the shade of the carriage, the heat was close to unbearable. _Don't these people know it's winter?_

But even the blistering sunlight couldn't keep Elsa from opening her curtains to watch the royal palace of Murisang rise out of the sand. It was enormous, positively dwarfing her castle in Arendelle. Two massive towers rose out of the center, with elaborate carvings and shining domed roofs, and the body of the palace seemed to go on forever. The heat rippling off the sunbaked sand gave the entire building an almost ethereal effect, as though the whole thing was simply a mirage. It was breathtaking.

Elsa's entourage pulled up to the main entrance, a long, circling drive with a lush garden in the center, an oasis in a sea of sand. A footman opened the carriage door and offered Elsa a hand down. She took it, so busy staring at the beauty around her that she didn't fully trust her own feet. Ambassador Reyansh swung down from his horse and stepped up next to her, offering her his arm. "This way, your Majesty."

* * *

"Queen Elsa, very good of you to come." King Ishranth stepped forward from his throne, taking Elsa's offered hand and pressing it to his forehead in a bow. He was only a little taller than Elsa, with trimmed black hair streaked with gray. Wrinkles were carved deeply into his brown skin - he looked regal, yes, but above all else, he looked tired. "So much more than we were hoping for… We weren't sure- well, I wasn't sure you would be able to help, much less arrive at all… Erm, may I present my wife, Queen Garima?"

"Charmed, I'm sure." The queen stepped down as well, giving Elsa a small bow and never once breaking eye contact. Her long black hair was pulled back in a tight bun marked with a thin golden circlet, one that matched the gold of her long wrapped shawl. She had a small red dot on the center of her forehead, some kind of makeup. Her eyes were steely obsidian, marked with dark brown wrinkles as well. She too looked regal, but much harder than her husband, despite being more than a head shorter. Elsa may have been the ice queen in the room, but the glare Garima was giving her was as cold as any snow Elsa had ever made.

"Please, do come in." Ishranth smiled a little too brightly, as if to make up for his wife's curious coldness, and guided Elsa into a small antechamber, an open-air terrace overlooking a beautifully tended garden. A small table between several woven chairs bore a tray with small crystal flutes of an iced sparkling golden liquid. Elsa took a seat, angling her chair to catch a good view of the foreign scenery outside. Ishranth and Garima followed suit, Ishranth handing Elsa a drink.

"Your ambassador told me very little," Elsa said, sipping the cool liquid. It was light and bubbly, perfect for the dry heat. "I understand your daughter has powers?"

Garima seemed to stiffen, looking determinedly beyond Elsa. Ishranth glanced at her before nodding. "We can only assume it's magic. It seems our Aditi can control flames." Garima sniffed. "Well, perhaps not control," Ishranth amended, "but she can… commune with them somehow."

"She is dangerous," Garima said, still looking away. "She has no regard for her family, her standing, or her country. She has brought nothing but shame and dishonor to us since she revealed these powers."

Elsa shrugged lightly. "Maybe she's just scared?" At Garima's glare, Elsa said, "I think you had better tell me everything."

"Aditi needs to learn to control her powers," Ishranth told her, sighing and settling back into his chair. "She needs to find a way to return to how things were, so she can take her place in our family and make the marriage we need."

"If nothing else," Garima added, looking at Elsa for the first time, "she needs to be controlled." Her gaze was unwavering.

Again, Ishranth looked at his wife, his expression a combination of nervousness and sadness. "I think you had better speak to her yourself. She'll be able to tell it better than we can."

"I would love to meet her." A little flicker of nervous excitement made Elsa catch her breath slightly - despite her cool, collected demeanor, this moment was the one she had been waiting for. "Is she here?"

"Actually…" The King hesitated, a flash of guilt crossing his rugged face. "She's been moved. Outside. She has her own little home, outside the palace. You'll know it when you see it." Another glance at Garima. "Some of us thought a little distance would be best for everyone."

Despite her best efforts to keep a neutral expression, Elsa couldn't keep one eyebrow from creeping up in surprise. In the next second, she smiled and nodded. Only months earlier, she had made the same choice for herself - there was safety in distance, or so she had thought. "And that's working for you?"

Ishranth shrugged. "So far. We'd rather not trust it as a long-term solution."

"That's probably wise." Elsa set down her glass and rose gracefully from her seat. "Very well, then. Take me to her."

* * *

 **A.N: Hello all, and welcome to Murisang and my newest story! This is a new field for me, but after seeing a few tumblr posts on the subject of a Frozen sequel, I just couldn't resist.**

 **A few things to clear up: Murisang is meant to be (loosely) based on India as Arendelle is (loosely) based on Scandinavia. I do not know a whole lot about India. I've done some research, but the odds are very good that I'll get things wrong. If you have any tips, any corrections, any comments on that at all, please let me know. I'm trying to be as sensitive as possible.**

 **I can't promise any kind of regular schedule for this, but it'll definitely be done by the end of the summer. Hope to see you then.**

 **-Forever the Optimist**


	3. Chapter 3

Elsa walked through the courtyard behind the Murisang palace, keenly aware of the footsteps behind her. Ishranth had insisted she take a guard, though Elsa was skeptical. What was one man going to do against a fire wielder?

She glanced back at her guard, two steps behind her. He was sweating, though whether from heat or from nerves, Elsa couldn't tell. He wiped the back of his hand on his dark red turban, a perfect match to his uniform. The guard did not look at her, keeping his eyes firmly on the horizon. "This way, your Majesty."

He guided her around a corner. Rising over the horizon was a small stone dwelling, almost a cottage. It was ramshackle and roughly built, a sharp contrast to the magnificent palace behind them. The most distinguishing feature wasn't the construction, though - every stone was glowing a dull red, as if the entire building was made of embers.

The guard bowed his head briefly at the sight of it, as if in prayer. "You don't need to come any further," Elsa said, hoping to relieve him of some discomfort. "I'm sure I can find the way."

He hesitated, wiping his forehead again. "Be careful, your Majesty. She's a beauty, but she's dangerous."

Look but don't touch, Elsa though. Just like a flame. "You know her, then."

"I know Princess Aditi," he said staunchly. "I don't know… this." With a bow, he stepped back, nodding for her to approach.

Elsa nodded back, suddenly on her guard. Despite all her good intentions and efforts to keep an open mind, she was strangely nervous. Everyone seemed strangely reluctant to talk about whatever had happened, and the only conclusion Elsa could come to was that it was too bad to discuss. As she began to step closer, she felt small ice shards begin to form in her left hand - and this time, she didn't try to melt them away. Steeling her nerves, Elsa reached the doorstep and rapped on the door.

Immediately, a stream of flame blasted out from the door. Elsa instinctively threw up a barrier of ice, leaping back into a partial crouch, hands up. The door swung open, nearly flying off its hinges, revealing a small woman, eyes wide, though whether in fear or in anger, Elsa didn't have time to notice. Most of her attention was caught by the flames enveloping the hands of what must be Princess Aditi.

Almost without realizing it, Elsa let a bolt of ice loose, trying to pin one flaming hand to the wall. The woman dodged, ducking underneath. "Get away!" Heat surrounded her, blurring her vision. Reflexively, Elsa created a snowstorm above her head, the fat flakes turning to mist around her.

"You have to control yourself!" she shouted, eyeing the flames warily. "Your power is feeding off your fear and your anger. I understand!"

"You don't understand anything!" Aditi screamed. A wall of fire blasted out from the small woman's body. Elsa, thinking only of survival, sent a hail of ice spikes back at her. The two waves of magic slammed into each other, dissolving into a rain of warm steam that soaked both women. Elsa felt her hair plastered onto her face, and in that moment, she couldn't help but laugh.

The other woman, Aditi, stared at her in disbelief as her giggles turned to peals of laughter. Then, slowly, Aditi smiled as well, until both women were clutching their sides. Elsa's guard, who had retreated back around the corner during their fight, took another step back, eyes widening in terror, before turning tail and fleeing back to the castle proper.

Wiping tears and melted snow from her cheeks, Elsa held out a hand. "Queen Elsa of Arendelle. Pleased to meet you."

Aditi hesitated for a moment, then took her hand. "Princess Aditi of Murisang. Likewise. Sorry about the fire thing." Elsa waved her off.

"Don't think another thought about it. In my experience, it happens." Aditi smiled, a smile that lit up her whole face. Her hand was pleasantly warm. "Would you like to come in?"

"I would love to." With another, brighter smile, Aditi turned and led the way into the little house, stepping over the smouldering lintel.

Aditi's home was small enough that Elsa could cross the entire room in a few steps, but also cozy. One low table sat in the center of the room, with a simple bed along the back wall, piled high with cushions. A small bucket stood next to the door, filled about halfway with water. The walls and floors were covered in softly smoking rugs and paintings - nice, expensive decorations. Many looked well-worn - perhaps things that had been in her room before… whatever the incident was. The room was still hotter than anything Elsa had ever encountered, and to her surprise, it felt almost pleasant. This was a new discovery: Elsa had never minded to cold, but suddenly she found that she liked to be warm.

Aditi grabbed two cushions off her bed and tossed them to the floor, sinking gracefully into a cross-legged seat. Elsa, slightly put off, sat sideways, tucking her knees to the side. It wasn't comfortable - hopefully she wouldn't have to hold this position long.

Now that the battle was over, Elsa was able to take a moment to get a good look at her… adversary? New friend? Time would tell. Aditi was a small woman like her mother, much shorter than Elsa, with brown skin, dark eyes, and long black hair that she wore loose so that it flowed around her shoulders, often falling in her face. The tips of Aditi's hair, however, glowed red and yellow like tiny embers, giving off tiny tendrils of smoke that gave her an almost ethereal appearance. She wore floor-length red and gold wrapped robes, the cut oddly similar to what Elsa herself wore. Where Garima wore a small red dot of makeup, Aditi had a perfectly round gem that seemed fused with her skin. The deep red stone seemed to shine with internal fire.

"My father mentioned you might be coming," Aditi said, reaching into a small cupboard and pulling out teacups and an empty pot. "The 'Ice Queen of the North,' he said. I wasn't sure you were real."

"Well, I am. Both real and here." Elsa wasn't sure why she was so flustered suddenly. Maybe she was simply distracted watching Aditi's smouldering hair as she leaned over, filling the pot from the small bucket by the door.

"We've all heard your story, of course." Aditi added a pinch of tea leaves and held the pot off to the side. "Careful," she said, glancing at Elsa with a hint of a smile. "This is always a bit… well, you'll see." A second later, a pillar of flame several feet tall shot out of her hand, engulfing the pot and narrowly missing the hut's ceiling. When the fire subsided, Aditi set the pot down on the table, the water inside bubbling merrily.

Elsa raised one thin eyebrow. "Impressive."

"Yes, well, it's a little excessive, but it gets the job done." She poured out two cups, handing one to Elsa. "I only do hot tea, though, sorry."

Wordlessly, Elsa conjured up three small ice cubes, dropping them one by one into her drink. "Any for you?"

Aditi laughed again, a high, clear sound, and held up her cup. "Please."

The two women sat together, sipping their cooling tea. After a moment of companionable silence, Elsa set down her cup, deciding that the time for pleasantries was over. "Aditi, I think you had better tell me where these powers came from."


End file.
